Tristin Hopper: Natalie Knight was reinstated under the condition that she not to be seen ‘celebrating violence against civilians’
Published Jan 26, 2024 • Last updated 2 hours ago • 2 minute read
In the wake of a Langara College instructor loudly claiming that she’d suffered no professional consequences for openly endorsing Hamas terrorism, the institute has announced that she’s subsequently been fired.
In November, Natalie Knight was suspended from her job as an English instructor and Indigenous curriculum consultant after she made openly pro-terror remarks at a Oct. 28 “All Out for Palestine” rally in Vancouver.
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Speaking to a crowd in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery, Knight had characterized the Oct. 7 attacks as an “amazing, brilliant offensive.”
This week, after Knight was quietly reinstated at her Langara job following a three-month investigation, she immediately told a small anti-Israel rally on the Langara campus that the move represented a complete vindication of her Oct. 28 comments.
“It means we won. It means I did nothing wrong. It means none of you are doing anything wrong,” said Knight in comments published by The Voice, the Langara student paper that broke the story.
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According to a lengthy statement issued by Langara, it was her comments at this rally that apparently ultimately got her permanently dismissed.
Although Knight is never mentioned by name in the statement, the college said they allowed her to return to work with the expectation that she would “take care to ensure any future remarks could not reasonably be interpreted as celebrating violence against civilians.”
“The employee proceeded to engage in activities contrary to the expectations laid out by the College and as a result this employee is no longer an employee of Langara College,” it reads.
Langara had ruled differently about Knight’s initial comments. Although the college had said Knight’s statement did “not reflect the values of the College” and Langara had “condemned those comments,” the three-month investigation “determined that the employee’s comments were not clearly outside the bounds of protected expression.”
As such, she was allowed to return on the condition that she henceforth comply with official policies to maintain “a safe, respectful, and inclusive learning and working environment.”
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Throughout the entire saga, Knight has never swayed from her initial comments. After her Oct. 28 speech was widely condemned by Jewish groups in late October, Knight circulated a statement issued by her activist group United in Struggle which claimed that all she had done was “support … Palestinian resistance to colonial apartheid and genocide.”
“Langara College responded to this manufactured political firestorm by placing her on administrative leave,” it said, before saying that “Zionist organizations” were largely responsible.
Nico Slobinsky, vice president of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, thanked the college for showing accountability and dismissing Knight.
“Knight failed in her responsibility as an instructor to create a safe learning environment. By celebrating the largest murder of Jews since the Holocaust, Knight caused immense trauma for Langara College’s Jewish students, staff, and faculty,” he wrote in a statement posted to X.
“There should be no room for hate on any campus.”
I thank @LangaraCollege for showing accountability & dismissing Natalie Knight, who referred to the Oct 7 attacks committed by Hamas as “amazing, brilliant.” Knight failed in her responsibility as an instructor to create a safe learning environment. 1/3 https://t.co/FnwTG2cdT2
— Nico Slobinsky (@nicoslobinsky) January 26, 2024
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